Avoid the Travelin' Blues

Keeping your little one healthy at home is hard enough, so what about once you hit the road? “It’s not as tough as a lot of people fear,” says Laura Jana, M.D., an Omaha, Neb.-based pediatrician and author of Heading Home with Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality. Healthy babies as young as a few weeks should be fine, but keep these tips in mind for safe travel:

Fend off germs. Frequently wash everyone’s hands, especially after touching airplane armrests or trays. If your baby is due for immunizations, get them before you go.

Buckle up. You know to never take your baby out of her car seat while driving, and it’s a good idea to buy her an airplane seat and keep her strapped in as much as possible, says Jana. “Turbulence is completely unpredictable,” she cautions.

Keep baby’s ears clear. For those babies who experience discomfort during takeoff and landing, sucking on a pacifier, bottle or breast can help, as can gently rubbing the ears.